HR&DC BLOG

The Haitian Renaissance

Stay informed about what we're doing and how you can get involved

Haiti Trip (January ‘19); Day Five: I have arrived at the Port au Prince airport. Battered yet satisfied by the accomplishments and life lessons rendered during this trip. In the distance the mass graves are quiet, again. And even though the warm Caribbean air fills the Haitian sky, Titanyen’s twelve month winter of abandonment and

Haiti Trip (January ‘19); Day Four: Today, I turn my full attention to the living, with activities scheduled in every stratum of society. While this forum does not allow for full public disclosure of my interactions, areas such as job creation initiatives, religion, politics, higher education and general mentoring will fill my docket. Additionally, I

Haiti Trip (January ‘19); Day Three: It’s a beautiful Sunday in Haiti. The sun is shining, church revival music fills the air and my spirits are good. Having weathered the emotional toll of yesterday’s anniversary, I’m looking forward to a less complex schedule. And though some of my activities will involve injured souls who handled

Haiti Trip (January ‘19); Day Two: Today is the anniversary of Haiti’s 2010 Earthquake. To observe this hallowed anniversary, I once again traveled to the main ceremonial (mass) grave site in Titanyen. At my side were three men (Aby, Reginald and Ronald) I have come to consider as my brothers. Some friendships are forged in

Haiti Trip (January ‘19); Day One: It’s early Friday morning and I am awaiting my flight from Tampa to Miami enroute to Haiti. It’s been over 31 million seconds since I last traveled to Haiti. Truth be told, I’ve needed every second of my sabbatical to repair myself physically, emotionally and spiritually. As concessions to

While touring the destruction of Hurricane Matthew in Haiti, Jim Lange, Candidate for US House District 15 and CEO of the Haiti Recovery & Development Company encountered groups already in Haiti appearing to be preparing to profiteer on Haiti’s misery. Mr. Lange warned them misuse of donations from US Citizens would be exposed and would

I have just returned from three days in Haiti in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew. The scenes are shocking and dispiriting. While approximately a million Floridians temporarily lost their electricity last week, I would say that more than ten million Haitian citizens lost much, much more when the storm passed over the island the week

If you admitted that you know little to nothing about the geopolitics of the Caribbean you wouldn’t be alone. Most Americans don’t. The same might be said about the United States government. For over 200 years, successive American administrations have intervened in this region, and their track record indicates they, too, find the geopolitics of

Haiti’s Parliament Dissolves. Though the International press has, inexplicably, under reported Haiti’s present political crisis, it has been confirmed that Haiti’s Parliament has been dissolved and that President Martelly is presently ruling by decree. This is a highly explosive situation and armed conflicts seem inevitable. As a result, I have cancelled all but one of

“When will the dead be left in peace?” This question was repeatedly asked of me by closest colleagues, (and others around us), as we witness yet another display of ignorance and political opportunism at the ceremonial mass grave site in Titanyen. While at the time I was to angry to allow words to escape